If realised, planted acreage would be 30,000 acres above last year. Farmers announced their planting intentions in response to a March 1 survey conducted by the Virginia Field Office of the National Agriculture Statistics Service, an office within the USDA.

Corn acreage is estimated to be 500,000 acres, an increase of 10,000 acres from 2011. Peanut producers intend to plant 23,000 acres, an increase of 7,000 acres from last year.

Cotton producers expect to plant 95,000 acres, down 18% from last year.